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Posted by Allen Newton
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16 Oct, 2026
WORK begins this weekend on flood-proofing Western Australia’s east-west rail corridor which in recent years has proved vulnerable to extreme weather events.
The works form part of the Australian government’s $2.8‑billion Network Investment Program and will see ageing culverts replaced at three locations between Kalgoorlie and Zanthus.
According to ARTC, the upgrades are designed to improve drainage and reduce the risk of flood damage on one of the country’s most critical freight links.
ARTC crews will remove track and existing culverts before installing new reinforced concrete structures capable of managing a one‑in‑100‑year flood event, including projected climate impacts to 2060.
Once installed, the track will be rebuilt and the line prepared to safely reopen to freight services.
The corporation said it has worked closely with freight operators to schedule the works around train movements and minimise disruption.
The east–west corridor carries daily freight between Western Australia and the eastern states and has experienced several weather‑related interruptions in recent years.
The culvert program is part of a broader resilience push across the corridor. Nine upgraded locations withstood flooding earlier this year, and since 2024 new banks of culverts have been installed at 27 sites between South Australia and Western Australia, mitigating washaway risk at 35 existing culvert locations.
Federal infrastructure minister Catherine King said the investment would support the safe, reliable and efficient movement of freight for decades to come.
WA senator Dorinda Cox said strengthening vulnerable sections of the line would help protect supply chains and reduce the risk of costly disruptions.
ARTC chief executive Wayne Johnson said the targeted upgrades would make the railway more resilient to significant rainfall and help keep Australia’s supply chains moving.
